Imagine if that “two-game impact,” as Red Sox owner John Henry declared it, plays a critical role in the playoff shakeout come Sept. 29. Fair or unfair, instant-replay advocates will have their Exhibit A for demanding a change.

Suffice it to say, Boston manager John Farrell continues to stand with them.

“I’ve always felt that the advances in technology, how it’s come into the game, there’s no reason to think that it can’t be used to a greater extent without prolonging the time of the game,” he said before Tuesday’s series opener against Seattle. “Particularly on plays that are not continuing plays. That’s a definitive play. It’s either out or safe. ... In cases like (Monday) night, I think it furthers the debate.”

Noble talk, and a calmer assessment given the whole of that loss to the AL East-leading Rays. Had Nava scored from second base on Stephen Drew’s double to deep right field the previous at-bat, there’d have been no controversy.

Most significantly, Nava was only the tying run. A win was far from assured. That, however, might obscure the point Farrell made crystal clear Monday night when things were still raw.

“It was a missed call. Terrible call,” he said. “We should still be playing right now.”

Major League Baseball officials expressed confidence at the All-Star Game there will be expanded replay next season, but Commissioner Bud Selig – who’d talked of review on trapped balls and decisions down the lines last summer – maintained some reservations.

“Look, life isn’t perfect. The sport isn’t perfect, but we live with it, and it’s been great,” he said. “We have to be careful in our zest to improve things, not to affect the game as we’ve all known it.”

“We certainly don’t want to get stuck in the mud saying we’re not going to do anything when technology is out there saying that we can improve it somewhat,” said Joe Torre, MLB’s executive vice president for baseball operations. “We’ve got to decide, how much replay do we want? Because if you start doing it from the first inning to the ninth inning, you may have to time the game with a calendar.”

Torre is part of a committee debating just how expanded replay would weave into games, perhaps including a central office making decisions on video (as the NHL does) and/or a challenge system for managers similar to the NFL. Their recommendations could be available for review by team owners next month.

Farrell appreciates the concerns. But his affinity for the “human element” was limited to Meals admitting his mistake, and he made clear it doesn’t change the standings.

“I know it’s an ongoing conversation,” Farrell said. “I know that there is a lot of sensitivity toward the overall time of game and not to slow things down. But in situations like (Monday), I think the most important thing and the overriding thing is just to make sure that the plays are called as they should be.”